CEH Report

Table of Contents

Abstract

Linear alkylbenzene (LAB) is produced by reacting benzene with alkyl groups containing ten to thirteen carbon atoms that are derived from normal (i.e., straight-chain) paraffins or linear alpha-olefins. LAB may also be called soft alkylate, detergent alkylate or dodecylbenzene. Branched alkylbenzene (BAB) is produced by reacting benzene with alkyl groups derived from polymerizing propylene (mainly propylene tetramer). BAB is sometimes called hard alkylate but may also be referred to as detergent alkylate or dodecylbenzene.

Nearly all LAB is converted to linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) by sulfonation. LAS is a major surfactant in household and industrial detergents. BAB is also sulfonated to produce a branched alkylbenzene sulfonate (BAS, but often referred to as ABS) that can be used in the same applications as LAS. However, BAS is slow to biodegrade in waste treatment plants; consequently, it has been replaced by LAS in household detergent applications in the developed countries. BAS continues to be used in some industrial applications in the developed nations; its use in household detergent applications has been declining in the less developed countries as well, because BAS is now more expensive to produce than LAS.

The following pie chart shows world consumption of linear alkylbenzene:

In 2001–2006, LAB consumption declined in the United States and Japan after increasing during 1994–2000. Sharply increased raw material prices (i.e., benzene and n-paraffins derived from crude oil) drove up LAB prices, along with nearly all chemicals derived from petroleum. Thus, the competitiveness of LAB on a cost/performance basis relative to the competing detergent alcohols based on coconut and palm-kernel oils was adversely impacted. Since 2006, however, raw material prices for both natural oils and crude petroleum have risen and fallen roughly in parallel. Consequently, LAB consumption in these highly developed countries has stabilized somewhat. Furthermore, consumption in the rapidly developing regions has continued to grow.